ClassicsModernized Classics: 1964 Corvette Daily Driver With LS Power

19:05 11 january 2019

19:05 11 january 2019 Source:
hotrod.com

The 755-HP Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's LT5 is Now Available as a Crate Engine

Just think of all the engine swaps you could do

NextGen Performance builds a 1964 Corvette Sting Ray roadster that looks stock on the outside, but has thoroughly modern powertrain and handling. They can help with your next LS engine swap. Soon after being modernized by NextGen Performance, the roadster was purchased by comedian

Simply stated . . . big power and big tires with a badass stance and just a hint of elegance. Let' s take a look into what makes this truck so cool. Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

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62/62 SLIDES

Chevrolet built 22,229 Corvettes in 1964—8,304 coupes and 13,925 roadsters. Even after accounting for over a half a century's worth of losses to collision, theft, and attrition, there are still plenty left today to satisfy restorers and customizers alike. Better yet, when we use the term "customizer" in 2019, we're mostly talking about resto-modders, a.k.a. folks who tastefully retain and respect the external appearance, but go wild under the skin with chassis, suspension, interior comfort, brakes, and driveline upgrades.

It's rare to see a Beetle in perfect shape or one with extremely low miles, and it's even more rare to see one that is both. Currently listed on Hemmings, this 1964 Beetle amazingly has been driven only 23 miles since new and is in nearly perfect condition. What's the price, you ask? One million dollars.According to the seller, this Beetle was purchased new in Beaverton, Oregon, in 1964 as a backup for the owner's 1957 Beetle.

Several Wankel powered Corvette show cars hinted at a dead-ended program to offer rotary Stingrays in the early Seventies. HOT ROD. Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

1964 C2 Corvette Ultimate Guide. History, Production Stats & Facts, Engine Specs, VIN Numbers While the 1964 Corvette actually came standardly equipped with a 3-speed manual transmission This was advantageous to drivers in most conditions, though it did cause fishtailing in instances

But it wasn't so long ago when customizers (often spelled with a "k") turned the equation around, grafting hideous fiberglass wings, scoops, flares, and spoilers on the plastic body while leaving everything mechanical alone. Sadly, the result was often clownish and gaudy. But times and tastes have changed since they locked up Manual Noriega.

So, as much as we all love and respect a perfectly restored 1964 Rochester fuelie (1,325 built) or N03 "tanker" coupe (the 36-gallon fuel tank appealed to endurance road racers who didn't have to stop as often to refuel), the plain truth remains, the rest of the Corvette herd is ripe for upgrading.

It appears that the long-awaited ‘Vette still wants to play hard to get in 2019.

ENGINE. A low-hp daily driver wasn't enough for Bryan. In 2016, he bought a new daily driver and purchased a The engine was converted to an LS firing order with a Cam Motion LS camshaft that has 224/258 degrees duration and Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

Although Small bought the Corvette as a daily driver , it didn't stay that way very long. He says he began tearing it down about six weeks after his wedding to rebuild into a race car, and by 1976 it was running 6.50 s in the eighth-mile Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

In stock trim, 1964 Corvettes just don't drive as well as they look. Few vintage cars do. Though diehards don't mind carburetors with manual choke cables, or drum brakes that put you in the next lane when stabbed, the core of the classic car audience has been spoiled by the new car experience. Today's auction block results prove most buyers will pay much more for a nicely resto-modded Corvette (or Tri-Five Chevy, Baby T-Bird, 1965-'73 Mustang, GTO, etc.) than a concourse correct relic sitting on skinny 6.70-15 white walls.

Thanks to the fact GM used the same basic underpinnings on all C2 and C3 Corvettes built from 1963 through 1982, a thriving aftermarket has evolved to add modern upgrades beneath the skin of any vintage Corvette. Sure, some purists may cringe, but happily most of what's done to these cars is reversible. In this story, let's examine how Josh and Eric Buzzell of NextGen Performance in Spencer, Massachusetts brought a 1964 Sting Ray roadster into the 21st century with some basic—but much needed—modifications.

Mid-Engined Corvette Unlikely To Show Up In Detroit

Chevy doesn't have anything planned for the upcoming 2019 NAIAS. We’ve been bombarding you with stories about the once-elusive mid-engined Corvette and it looks like the road to reveal is even longer. That’s because the C8 will not attend the 2019 North American International Auto Show, with a company representative telling GM Authority that Chevy won’t be bringing its highly anticipated sports car to Detroit. As a matter of fact, the company with the bowtie emblem does not have any debuts planned for NAIAS, be it a car or an SUV.

These tags were simply screwed to the driver -side fenderwell with a pair of pan head screws. With the exception of taking liberties with the exterior color (the car was originally Turbine Bronze Metallic) Bolton' s Charger sports all of the Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

Shane figures this classic Mustang is best suited as a restomod project that would make a great Bullitt build, although the rarity of the X-code would also be very intriguing to return the '68 to stock. Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

Engine: The Corvette initially arrived at NextGen Performance with a mild 327 (that's an old school 5.3L for any metric fans), but it wouldn't last long. A 2008 was a good year for standard Corvette power plants; the base 6.0 liter / 364 cube LS2 grew into the 6.2 liter / 374 cube LS3, thanks to a factory 0.060 inch overbore (from 4.00 to 4.060), 10.7:1 compression, 42-lb/hr. fuel injectors, rectangular-shaped intake ports, hollow intake valve stems, and more. In bone-stock trim, the LS3 delivers 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque. Best of all, its all-aluminum construction slashes 50 pounds off the Corvette's nose compared to the outgoing iron mouse. More good news is the fact the stock Corvette front dress fits the 1964 frame and engine bay without mods. The only deviation was elimination of the power steering system and AC.

Induction:

Transmission: Though not indicated by codes presented on the body tag, clues suggest this car was born with a manual transmission. The 3-speed manual was still standard Corvette fare right through the 1969 model run, and this feature car was upgraded from a wide-ratio M20 Muncie to a brand new Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual with overdrive and a 525-hp rated Street Comp clutch kit. Using a complete kit from Hurst Driveline with a Hurst Sidewinder II shift handle conversion assured trouble-free installation. Until the 1984 arrival of the Doug Nash-supplied 4+3 manual transmission option, no Corvette came from GM with overdrive.

Rearend: The 1964 Corvette offered axle ratios of 3.08, 3.36, 3.55, 3.70, 4.11, and 4.56:1, with 3.36:1 being most popular (installed on 8,338 out of 22,229 cars). Not surprisingly, the feature car has the 3.36:1 setup, which was refreshed with new bearings and a rebuilt Positraction unit. About that Posi, before Positraction became standard equipment in 1970, Corvette buyers paid an extra $43.05 for the pleasure of smoking both rear tires. In 1964, Posi was a very popular option with 18,279 out of 22,229 buyers asking for it. Of course that means 3,950 1964 Corvettes were "one wheel wonders..

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62/62 SLIDES

Chassis / Suspension: The original 1964 frame was in excellent condition and required only a cleaning before being powder coated black by Central Connecticut Coatings of Hartford, CT. The stock Sting Ray suspension was a radical departure when introduced in 1963. Up front, Corvette finally got away from the king pin suspension used since 1953. Lacking anti-dive geometry, the king pin setup hurt road course handling and was high on Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's list of fixes. The new-for-'63 front suspension featured ball joints (Chevy passenger cars got them in 1955) and stamped control arms from the full-size (Impala, Biscayne) parts bin. Out back, Duntov's wish for independent rear suspension (IRS) was also granted—but with compromises. The heavy transverse leaf spring weighed anywhere from 44 to 60 pounds, depending on which suspension option was chosen. A fix in the form of a nifty 8-lb. plastic spring arrived in 1981—a little late to have much effect on Corvette's racing legacy. All of the factory stuff was replaced in favor of a Ridetech coilover system for 1963-'67 Corvettes. With four-corner coilover shocks and rugged tubular / bridge girder control arms with a rear Muscle Bar, the bolt-in system offers superior handling with less flex and mass than stock.

This might be the greatest classic car barn find ever

There are barn finds, and then there’s this. Down an unmarked, unpaved road in America lurks a collection of classic vehicles the likes of which you’ve never seen before.

There are 77 1964 Chevrolet Corvettes for sale today on ClassicCars.com. More listings are added daily . This matching-numbers 1964 Corvette convertible underwent a nice restoration and is powered by a factory-correct 327/300hp 8-cylinder engine with a Read More ›.

Soon after being modernized by NextGen Performance, the roadster was purchased by comedian Kevin Hart, who from More good news is the fact the stock Corvette front dress fits the 1964 frame and engine bay without mods. The only deviation was elimination of the power steering system and AC.

Brakes: Many Corvette fans forget that four-wheel disc brakes didn't arrive until 1965. Before that, all Corvettes used 11-inch drums all the way around. Borrowed from the full-size Chevy parts bin, they were prone to fade in competition settings which led to a series of fixes involving air ducts, backing-plate scoops, metallic shoes, and finned iron drums. None of it begins to compare to the four-corner Wilwood disc brake conversion kit installed by NextGen. With drilled rotors and six-piston / four-piston (F/R) calipers at each wheel, Duntov would have loved it.

Exhaust: The Corvette's first factory installed N14 side mount exhaust system that's side pipes to you and me wasn't offered until 1965 for an extra $134.50. And they were not popular. Only 759 of the 23,564 Corvettes built in '65 got them. But in the years since, they've become a popular add-on. Already present when the car arrived at NextGen Performance, the guys decided to retain them to let the LS3 exhale a little better. They're fed by the stock cast iron LS3 manifolds. Before the 1965 arrival of side pipes, 1963-'68 Corvette order forms listed the N11"off road exhaust system". These are not side pipes, but rather a louder system with larger tubing and low restriction mufflers. The N11 setup ran the entire length of the car and exited in the usual spot through the rear valance panel.

Wheels/Tires: Weld Racing worked with NextGen Performance to adapt Weld's new 18-inch Miramar wheel design for C2 applications. The 18x7 and 18x8 (F/R) wheels are offset 4.5 and 5.25 inches (F/R) to clear suspension and brake obstructions. If you like the Miramar design and want them for your 1963-'67 Sting Ray, thank Weld Racing and NextGen Performance for sizing them to fit. Tires are Nitto NT-05's 235/40R-18 and 245/40R-18 Nitto NT-05's.

Speed is the New Black in this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette

John Pantanella got the C1 1962 Chevrolet Corvette by heading over to Classic Car Studios in St Louis.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Classic Industries had begun making the grille assembly and headlight doors. Trust me when I say parts are hard enough to chase down when they are plentiful, but when they're as rare as a 50-foot Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

Paint / Body: NextGen Performance specializes in mechanical makeovers, that's why they chose a Corvette that was already wearing an excellent Torch Red paint job. The only external modification was switching the 427 hood medallions for LS3 emblems. That said, the Buzzell Brothers spent countless hours masking the body to protect it from harm during wrenching. All underbody surfaces were coated with matte black. Fresh chrome reproduction bumpers were sourced from Classic Industries.

Interior: The stock interior was augmented by a Dakota Digital instrument cluster packing VHX gauges, including an 8,000rpm tachometer and 160mph speedometer. In the old days, sidewalk spies deciphered Corvette tachometer redlines to glean clues on engine potency. Solid-lifter mills red-lined over six grand, tame-juice lifter mills went to five grand. The stock U69 Delco AM-FM radio was a popular option and was installed in 20,934 of the 22,229 Corvettes built in '64. At $176.50, the radio cost $68.90 more than the hottest non-fuelie 327, the 365 horsepower L76 with solid lifters and a Holley 4-barrel ($107.60). Where were peoples' priorities?

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ENGINE. A low-hp daily driver wasn't enough for Bryan. In 2016, he bought a new daily driver and purchased a The engine was converted to an LS firing order with a Cam Motion LS camshaft that has 224/258 degrees duration and Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

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Although Small bought the Corvette as a daily driver , it didn't stay that way very long. He says he began tearing it down about six weeks after his wedding to rebuild into a race car, and by 1976 it was running 6.50 s in the eighth-mile Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

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These tags were simply screwed to the driver -side fenderwell with a pair of pan head screws. With the exception of taking liberties with the exterior color (the car was originally Turbine Bronze Metallic) Bolton' s Charger sports all of the Modernized classics : 1964 Corvette daily driver with LS power .

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